Last Report: 10/05/2020
Source: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=ENRS/2020_11_03/

Returned and Accepted Mail Ballots

Ballots Returned: 359,490
Return Rate: 30.1%

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Party Registration

Party Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Democrats 189,255 52.6 571,162 33.1
Republicans 60,970 17.0 221,673 27.5
Minor 1,117 0.3 5,807 19.2
No Party Affiliation 108,148 30.1 395,215 27.4
TOTAL 359,490 100.0 1,193,857 30.1
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by 2016 Vote History

Note: North Carolina provides only aggregate request statistics, so it is impossible to generate ballot return rates by 2016 general vote.
Voted Count Percent
Voted in 2016 General 271,883 75.6
Did Not Vote in 2016 General 87,607 24.4
TOTAL 359,490 100.0

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Non-Hispanic White 258,958 72.0 793,623 32.6
Non-Hispanic Black 57,041 15.9 211,008 27.0
Hispanic 6,386 1.8 29,270 21.8
Non-Hispanic Asian American 6,800 1.9 30,180 22.5
Non-Hispanic Native American 1,172 0.3 5,058 23.2
Other/Multiple/Unknown 29,132 8.1 124,718 23.4
TOTAL 359,490 100.0 1,193,857 30.1

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Age

Age Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
18 to 25 17,420 4.8 103,432 16.8
26 to 40 42,124 11.7 212,528 19.8
41 to 65 120,656 33.6 439,303 27.5
66 and up 169,768 47.2 438,594 38.7
TOTAL 359,490 100.0 1,193,857 30.1

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Gender

Gender Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Female 191,474 53.3 645,574 29.7
Male 149,898 41.7 465,566 32.2
Unknown 18,118 5.0 82,717 21.9
TOTAL 359,490 100.0 1,193,857 30.1

Rejected

Ballots Rejected: 6,020
Rejection Rate: 1.6%

Most of these rejected ballots are for the ballot status reason of “WITNESS INFO INCOMPLETE”.

North Carolina election officials are required by state law to follow up with these voters. If you are a North Carolina voter concerned about your mail ballot, you can track the status of your ballot at the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

In the “All” mail ballot returned statistics, I add the mail ballots that are returned and accepted with the rejected ballots. Dividing the number of rejected by this quantity yields a rejection rate.

Mail Ballots Rejected by Party Registration

Party Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Democrats 3,728 61.9 192,983 1.9
Republicans 992 16.5 61,962 1.6
Minor 16 0.3 1,133 1.4
No Party Affiliation 1,284 21.3 109,432 1.2
TOTAL 6,020 100.0 365,510 1.6
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Rejected by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Non-Hispanic White 2,634 43.8 261,592 1.0
Non-Hispanic Black 2,477 41.1 59,518 4.2
Hispanic 202 3.4 6,588 3.1
Non-Hispanic Asian American 150 2.5 6,950 2.2
Non-Hispanic Native American 40 0.7 1,212 3.3
Other/Multiple/Unknown 517 8.6 29,649 1.7
TOTAL 6,020 100.0 365,510 1.6
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black

Requested

Ballots Requested: 1,193,857
Request Rate: 16.7%

Mail Ballot Requests by Party Registration

North Carolina registered Democrats have a 349,489 ballot request lead over registered Republicans.

Party Count Percent
Democrats 571,162 47.8
Republicans 221,673 18.6
Minor 5,807 0.5
No Party Affiliation 395,215 33.1
TOTAL 1,193,857 100.0

North Carolina releases an update to the voter registration file each Saturday. The voter registration numbers are from the most recent release and may be slightly dated.

All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballot Requests by Race and Ethnicity

Race Count Percent
Non-Hispanic White 793,623 66.5
Non-Hispanic Black 211,008 17.7
Hispanic 29,270 2.5
Non-Hispanic Asian American 30,180 2.5
Non-Hispanic Native American 5,058 0.4
Other/Multiple/Unknown 124,718 10.4
TOTAL 1,193,857 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Age

North Carolina provides mail ballot request data in age ranges inconsistent with other states’ ranges. The age statistics presented here are not included in the national age statistics.

Age Count Percent
18 to 25 103,432 8.7
26 to 40 212,528 17.8
41 to 65 439,303 36.8
66 and up 438,594 36.7
TOTAL 1,193,857 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Gender

Gender Count Percent
Female 645,574 54.1
Male 465,566 39.0
Unknown 82,717 6.9
TOTAL 1,193,857 100.0